As the winner of the first-year contest that challenged schools around the country to show their spirit - through cheers, band performances, and mascot challenges as well as generating online votes - Mainland will receive $182,000 worth of athletic apparel from Under Armour over a two-year period.
Gately said an Under Armour representative will be assigned to Mainland to work with school officials to design new uniforms for the athletic teams. Mainland will receive $102,000 over two years in uniforms and $40,000 each year in other items such as footwear and other apparel.
Mainland, a regional school in Linwood, Atlantic County, that also serves students from Northfield and Somers Point, was rocked last summer by the death of four football players - Edgar Bozzi, 17; Casey Brenner, 17; Nick Connor, 16, and Dean Khoury, 15 - who were involved in an accident on the Garden State Parkway on their way to meet with teammates for a post-practice meal.
"This was total school involvement," Gately said. "It wasn't just the athletic teams. It was the band, the student council, everybody."
Contact staff writer Phil Anastasia at 856-779-3223, panastasia@phillynews.com, or @PhilAnastasia on Twitter. Read his blog, "Jersey Side Sports," at www.philly.com/jerseysidesports
